More Petroglyphs and Barite to Boot

Again this weekend and for quite a while during this great fall outdoors season, there are a number of great adventures. Just check out Celebration of Our Mountains,  El Paso Hiking Group, GeoBetty, Guadalupe Mountains National Park Meetup Group,  Las Cruces & El Paso Adventurists, and Peak Fitness Challenge.  Also take a look at High Desert Hikers. Read about their name change.  You will recognize them as the old Ocotillo Hikers – a still extant group.  Sign-up so that you can see their list of hikes and get involved.

Thanks to Val Provencio many of us identified petroglyphs at Alamo Mountain last weekend. You can see some pictures of that sacred rock art. Tomorrow, CARTA leads a group to Tonuco Mountain where you can see more petroglyphs and also explore some old barite mines. Barite (barium sulfate) is used in paint, X-ray diagnostic work, glassmaking and as a weighting agent in oil well drilling fluids. The hike is sponsored by Celebration of Our Mountains, the El Paso Hiking Group and the Las Cruces Hiking Meetup Group.

Veteran Sunrise Hikers and scholars, Tommy Young and Dave Webster, discuss the  cultural andspiritual meanings of rock art on Alamo Mountain.

Of course, Tonuco isn’t for everyone so look for some interesting hikes into Hitt Canyon or from the Palisades.  Unfortunately the Yoga in the Mountains event for Sunday has been cancelled.  Ranger Adrianna Weickhardt emails to say:

“It is with great disappointment that I must cancel the "Yoga in the Mountains" program for this Sunday, October 14.  No park staff were notified of the closing of Transmountain Rd. on Sunday, October 14th for the "Transmountain Challenge" Race.  Unfortunately, this not only means we will be unable to hold the Yoga program, but the Tom Mays Unit of the park itself will be closed  (the entrance will be blocked) until about 11:00 a.m. 

“We will be looking at a later date to reschedule another Yoga program - and of course when that happens it will be reposted on Facebook, Meetup.com, the TPWD calendar, and the Celebrations of our Mountains website.” 

I do suggest that you mark your calendars now for Saturday evening, October 20^th, from 7 to 9 p.m. in McKelligon Canyon for Coffee Time with Archaeologists.  This is a Franklin Mountains State Park/Celebration of Our Mountains event not to be missed. Reservations are required so contact Adrianna Weickhardt at 915-566-6441 or Adrianna.Weickhardt@tpwd.state.tx.us or just RSVP at El Paso Hiking. October is Texas Archaeology Month.

Excelsior!